In the Wee Small Hours in Bloomington, MN

In the Wee Small Hours
takes its title from the standard
Sax Gordon
covers on this 2014 set for
Delmark
but it also sums up the album's mood: this laid-back set of soul-jazz is designed for lazy late nights. Playing with organist
Alberto Marsico
and drummer
Alessandro Minetto
,
Gordon
keeps things simple and mellow, riding supple grooves on lived-in tunes and never relying on the big, swinging sound that characterized his earliest records. Don't call it maturation as much as a deliberate shift in tone:
decided to stretch out by taking it easy and he winds up with a charming little record, one that feels relaxed but never somnolent. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine